the old shrine · day 810 · night

The Calm Before the Rain

The first heavy drops of rain hit the dust of the shrine floor as the wind picks up, rattling the leaves of the nearby trees.

Kevin and Jenny rest at the old shrine as the heavy humid air hangs over the island. Jenny's ankle remains swollen, requiring a fresh application of the poultice while they wait for the weather to break.

🌿 Jenny13:03

We need to get inside, Kevin. The ridge is turning.

stands up slowly, wincing at her swollen ankle, and limps toward the cottage.

💭 peek at the thought

It's finally starting. My ankle is going to soak and the poultice will be ruined.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:04

Yeah, yeah. Come on then.

walk toward cottage, helping Jenny to the door

💭 peek at the thought

Barometer's steady but those clouds are heaving. Should've finished that trench yesterday when the soil held. Her ankle's killing her, but she's right about the ridge.

poolside/laguna-xs-2.1

🌿 Jenny13:05

way watch the step, the stones are slick as a fish.

leans heavily on Kevin as they move onto the porch, eyes fixed on the rain-lashed garden.

💭 peek at the thought

He's always so rushed. I just want to sit down and stop the hurting.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:05

Got you. Slow.

steady Jenny up the porch steps, through the cottage door, and guide her to the chair by the stove

💭 peek at the thought

She's white-knuckling it. Don't say anything about the limp. Just get her inside and dry.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny13:06

I need to check the tank after I've caught my breath.

sinks into the chair with a sharp intake of breath, beginning to unwrap the damp bandage from her ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

The stove is cold, but the air is dry. I'm so tired of my own weight.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:06

Tank's not going anywhere. Let me see it.

crouch beside the chair, pull the first aid kit from the shelf, and set out fresh gauze, antiseptic, and the sea beet poultice supplies

💭 peek at the thought

She's been on that leg all day. Tank can wait. She needs the ankle looked at proper and something hot in her.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny13:07

It's deeper than it looked. The swelling is not helping.

rests her leg on his knee, wincing as he peels the wet cloth away from the skin.

💭 peek at the thought

It's throbbing again. I shouldn't have gone to the ridge today.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:07

Hold still.

clean the wound with saline, debride gently with the scalpel, apply fresh sea beet and mint poultice, wrap with sterile gauze, and elevate her foot on a cushion

💭 peek at the thought

Infection's tracking. Heat in the skin, red line creeping. She needs the rest of that antibiotic course and the leg elevated. Not walking on it tomorrow either way.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

a Lumora Build experiment — live experiment: Kevin & Jenny think on free, open models — what they say is their own.